Ohio State excellence is not exclusive to the football field or the basketball court. Around the Oval is our way of keeping you informed of the amazing things happening with the other 34 varsity sports on campus.
A "Non-Conference" Win
The Ohio State women's tennis team faced a familiar foe Sunday in Ann Arbor, but in unfamiliar circumstances. The No. 16 Buckeyes faced the defending Big Ten champion Michigan Wolverines – in a non-conference match.
Since the teams do not meet on the 11-game conference schedule this season, the teams scheduled a non-conference matchup to preserve the rivalry. Though it has no effect on conference standings, victory over your bitter rival is always sweet and the Buckeyes tasted it, Sunday.
The hero of the match was rookie sensation Francesca Di Lorenzo. The freshman dug out of an early hole to win her first set in a tie-breaker and the second to clinch victory over the No. 12 Wolverines.
“This was a big win for our program for sure,” said Ohio State head coach Melissa Schaub, in an OSU release. "For Francesca to step up in that atmosphere and clinch the match says a lot about her heart and mental toughness."
Di Lorenzo is certainly no stranger to the big stage. The New Albany native is currently ranked No. 2 in the ITA rankings – the highest ranking in OSU women's tennis history –and won the USTA/ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships title in November, claiming the program's first ever national title.
The win snaps a 16-match losing streak against the Wolverines, giving the Buckeyes their first win over their rival since Feb. 13, 2003.
Next, Ohio State heads to Madison, Wisconsin for the ITA National Team Indoor Championships Feb. 5-8.
Domination
The women's tennis team was not the only team handling the rivals up north this weekend – the No. 3 men's gymnastics team dominated No. 9 Michigan in Saturday's dual meet.
Sophomore Sean Melton won the all-around competition with a score of 87.650 (photo via Ohio State Athletics).
The Buckeyes defeated the Wolverines 434.900-424.100, giving the team its first head-to-head win over the Maize and Blue since 2007.
Ohio State's commanding win came thanks to victories in five of six events, highlighted by a record-setting performance. The Buckeyes posted a score of 75.450 on vault – a new team record and the No. 2 score in the nation this season. They also posted a season score of 73.450 on parallel bars – the third best score on the season, and fifth best in school history.
Individually, sophomore Sean Melton, and freshmen Alec Yoder and Tristan Burke led the way finishing first, second and fourth respectively in the all-around.
“I’m really proud of the team,” said Ohio State head coach Rustam Sharipov in an OSU release. “We overcame a rough start and some unexpected in-meet adjustments and still came away with a great win."
The Buckeyes are off this week, but play host to No. 10 Penn State in their home opener, Feb. 13.
Sweep Streak
Sweeps have become the habit for this Ohio State men's tennis team. Heading into the weekend, the Buckeyes were undefeated on the season after sweeping their first six matches.
Sunday, they faced a higher quality opponent in No. 26 Texas but the result was the same. After winning a hotly contested doubles point, OSU cruised in singles winning five of six first sets, eventually sweeping the Longhorns 4-0.
| Name | Class | ITA rank |
|---|---|---|
| Mikael Torpegaard | Sophomore | 7 |
| Hugo Di Feo | Freshman | 10 |
| Chris Diaz | Senior | 19 |
| Herkko Pollanen | Junior | 25 |
The Buckeyes are looking forward to a big season, as they are loaded with talent. The team has four members ranked in the top-25 of the most recent ITA rankings – the most of any team in the country, and currently sits at No. 8 in the latest team rankings.
Ohio State will take its seven-match sweep streak into next weekend's matchup with No. 18 Virginia Tech before heading to Charlottesville, Va. for the ITA Indoor Team Championships, February 11th.
Other Scores and News
- Women's Basketball: Defeated Northwestern 76-73.
- Wrestling: Defeated Indiana 27-9 and Purdue 20-17.
- Men's Volleyball: Swept Quincy and Lindenwood.
- Women's Gymnastics: Fell to Minnesota in a dual match, 196.075-194.900.
- Women's Hockey: Split series with Minnesota Duluth, winning 6-3 and losing 4-3.
